This motion was passed at Lambeth UNISON branch meeting in July 2017 – our members feel very strongly that we need a very strong campaign to end the pay cap, and merely requesting a 5% increase without backing it up with some industrial muscle probably won’t win a decent pay rise for our members.

This branch notes that:

• Millions of public sector workers have faced wage freezes over the last seven years meaning a real terms pay cut of 10 percent. The TUC calculates that individuals are on average £1,232 p.a. worse off than in 2008.
• In the NHS it’s even worse, with the majority of staff seeing a 17 percent real terms pay cut.
• The Conservative government just found £1 billion for to buy the votes of DUP MP’s despite having claimed there’s “No magic money tree”!

 This branch believes that:

• The Tories are weak. Now is the time for mobilisation, we can break the pay freeze.

 This branch resolves to:

• Support, publicise and campaign for the 2018-2019 pay claim for our lowest paid members to be paid the Foundation Living Wage and for a 5% increase for everyone else.
• Call on the TUC to call regional Scrap the Cap pay rallies across the country.
• Call on our union to push for a national dispute over pay – calling for an above inflation pay rise. To ballot for strikes, and if necessary to call strike action, including up to all out indefinite strike action.
• Call on the TUC to call a national ‘End Austerity Now’ demonstration in the autumn. The Tory Party conference at the beginning of October in Manchester, seems an ideal opportunity to do this.
• Call on the TUC to facilitate coordination of national disputes over pay, including coordinated strikes if necessary.